AN: As promised, a second update for this week. Moving forward in time a little, but still keeping with most of the S6 storyline…We'll see for how long. =) I thought of this while watching some reruns while recovering this week. As always, your feedback or ideas are most welcome!

Chapter 14: A Step Back

At the sound of the knock on her door, Brennan looked up from the report she was reading.

"Hi Angela. Did you need something?"

Angela came in and gingerly sat herself in one of the chairs facing Brennan's desk, knowing she would regret it when the time came to get back up again.

"I came to ask you the same thing sweetie. What the story, Morning Glory?"

Brennan shook her head and returned to her report. "I don't know what that means."

Angela reached across the desk and pushed Brennan's report down out of her focus. "It means I want to know what is up with you and Agent Studly. I thought you said the two of you were trying to work on your relationship…getting closer again."

"That's what we agreed to, yes."

"And?" Angela prodded.

Brennan sighed. Even more than trying to figure out relationships by herself, she found that trying to decipher hidden meanings and nuances of symbolic acts and non-acts even more draining with someone else, even as helpful as she knew Angela was trying to be for her. However, Booth's actions in recent days had been confusing, at best. Perhaps, given Angela's more adept ability of reading human behavior and understanding emotions, Brennan would be better served to engage in Angela's exercise.

Brennan stood up and walked around the desk to sit next to Angela. "Booth and I have been trying to regain our sense of amicability and cohesion, yes."

"Sweetie…can't the two of you move past being amiable and go straight to between the sheets by this point?" Angela asked dryly.

Brennan shook her head wryly. She was used to Angela inserting sexual suggestions into their conversations regarding Booth. But here lately, she found herself wanting to find the courage to take the initiative and use some of Angela's suggestions. In the past month, she and Booth had been working closely, spending more time together, much in the way they did before he left for Afghanistan and she went to the Maluku Islands. They met for breakfast, lunch, even the occasional dinner, coffee, after-case drinks…

This week Booth had even surprised her during her morning run at the park. They had engaged in a spontaneous race between the two of them. Afterwards Booth invited himself to join Brennan to a lecture on the Peloponnesian Wars, however their plans were interrupted by a new case. They had been called in to investigate a body, which had turned out to be another of Jacob Broadsky's victims.

"Sweetie? Earth to Brennan…"

"Sorry Ang. I just was thinking. Yes, we have been getting closer again…and yes, maybe that will lead to a more…personal relationship…but while I do nto wish to live my life with regrets, I do not want to find I am causing Booth regrets as well. He and Hannah have not been over for that long, and I do not want to be…what is the term you like to use…Oh, yes…the Rebound Girl."

"Sweetie," Angela reached over and grabbed one of Brennan's hands in both of hers. "That simply is not possible. Hannah was the Rebound Girl. She was the one Booth was trying to use to replace you with, not the other way around."

Brennan gave Angela a small smile, which indicated that she appreciated the support, however she still held doubts as to the truth behind the words.

"So why are you so doubtful Bren?"

Brennan sighed again. "It's just that…ever since Broadsky killed Taffett, Booth seems to be distancing himself from me each time we run into one of his victims. It's as if he is trying to distance himself from me, even more than he did before in some ways."

"Have you asked him about it? Told him how you feel?"

"No."

Angela sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her now prominent belly. "You know, for a world renowned forensic anthropological genius, you sure do miss the obvious solutions a lot of times, Sweetie."

"You mean I need to speak with Booth about my reservations and feelings of him trying to disconnect from me?"

Angela raised her eyebrows and nodded.

Brennan looked at Angela, then over to her desk at her cell phone. She looked back at Angela, who only raised a single eyebrow and now pointed one long red-tipped finger at the phone. Brennan rolled her eyes, "Fine. I acquiesce to your more broad and extensive knowledge in male and female relationships," she said as she reached across the desk to pick up her phone. She quickly pushed the buttons to speed dial Booth's number. He answered on the second ring.

"Booth? It's me, yes. I wanted to know if you could meet me for coffee. Yes, now would be preferable. The coffee cart on the mall is acceptable. Okay, I will meet you there in twenty minutes. What, no, I'm fine. See you then."

Angela smiled. "Admitting you have a problem is always the first step, Sweetie."

"I think that has more to do with addictions than relationship issues, Ang." Brennan leaned over and gave her friend a hug. "I'd better hurry if I'm going to get there in time. If Cam needs me-"

"I'll make up a suitable excuse, don't worry. Go!"

Brennan shrugged into her winter coat and grabbed her purse on her way out the door. Before she left she turned around. "Thanks Angela."

Angela smiled as she watched her friend leave the lab. She leaned over to the desk and pulled the in house phone closer to her.

"Jack? Yes, it's me. I need you to do something for me. No, it has nothing to do with my father. No, Hodgins, I do not need you to 'go back to the Diner for a third time today', although nice to know you are keeping track! Get down to Brennan's office. Because I need you to help me, that's why!"

Angela slammed the phone receiver back into place and sat back, waiting, her toes tapping impatiently on the carpeting. Hodgins came jogging into the office less than a minute later, slightly out of breath.

"Wh-What's the matter Angie?" he wheezed.

"I need you to help me out of this chair. And if you say a single word about my weight or the size of my butt, I swear my father finding out will be the least of your worries."

Brennan took a sip of her coffee. She sat on a park bench near the coffee cart, not wanting to miss Booth when he arrived.

"Hey Bones! Sorry I'm late…Hacker started chatting while I was waiting on the elevator. Is that for me?" Booth grabbed the second cup of coffee and took a sip. "Wow! That's hot!"

Brennan shook her head. "That was my intent when I asked to purchase hot coffee, Booth."
"Touché, Bones. So….what's up?"

Brennan took the opportunity to take another sip of her drink, more for additional time than out of a need for caffeine. Booth sat watching her patiently.

"I find I need to speak with you about our-partnership."

Booth's brow wrinkled in concern. "You aren't planning on leaving again for Mumu Islands, are you?"

Brennan shook her head. "No, I have no plans to join in on any anthropological digs in the near future. This is more about –well, I guess my feelings more than anything else."

"Okay, Bones, so what's going on in that brilliant head of yours?" Booth leaned back in the bench, listening.

"Since you discovered that Broadsky has been killing victims and working from his own personal agenda of right and wrong, I find that our relationship seems to be reverting back to being more…professional than one of a partnership."

Booth thought about her statement before answering. "You mean that you think I am backing off from our relationship."

Brennan nodded. "Yes…at least-that's what it feels like….and Angela suggested that maybe there was a reason…or that I needed to inform you how I was feeling…" Brennan tried to explain. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry. This seemed like a better conversation to have when I was talking to Angela. When I hear myself speak my thoughts aloud, they sound…pitiful…unwarranted."

The partners sat together in silence. Booth finally reached forward and grabbed one of Brennan's hands with his own. "It's not unwarranted, Bones. You're right."

Brennan looked up in surprise at Booth, both at his agreement and the admission. Did he mean he had changed his mind? Was he no longer interested in trying to nurture this-relationship-they had agreed to allow to develop as it would with no denial or suppression of feelings?

Booth tightened his grip on her hand. "I have been trying to take a step back…but not because I don't want to spend time with you, or because I don't want to have a partnership and continue to work on developing a relationship with you."

Brennan shook her head in confusion. "Then why?"

"Broadsky is good."

"No, we discussed this already. Broadsky is bad. You're good."

Booth chuckled. "No, I mean that he is good at being a sniper. He knows I am coming after him. He will have done his research on me and who I work with by now. When I was a sniper, especially after Teddy's death…I mainly worked alone. I would be a part of a team, but when it came to the sniper missions, those were mine alone. Broadsky will have found out now that I have a partner, and that I rely on the team at the Jeffersonian, and Sweets and even Caroline to do my job now."
"I still don't understand what that has to do with us, Booth."

Booth turned to face Brennan, still holding onto her hand tightly. "Don't you see, Bones? By attacking my team, Broadsky will weaken me. And I know that the best way to do that, other than harming Parker or Pops, would be for Broadsky to find out how close you and I are, and to do something to you."

Booth looked deep into Brennan's eyes, his own becoming red-rimmed and intense. "I couldn't handle it if something happened to you Bones, especially if it was because of me. I need for Broadsky to think that we are just partners…together for work, and nothing else."

Brennan nodded, then glanced around nervously, looking around and then down at their clasped hands. "So meeting like this…?"

"I was held up a little by Hacker, but before I joined you I did some surveillance of the area too. This is a public place, crowded and a random meeting point during the day. I doubt Jake knows we are together right now. But, yes, in general I am trying to keep our public displays on a strictly professional level."

"Okay. I can understand that." Brennan looked back up at Booth. "So you haven't …you haven't changed your mind, then?"

"Changed my mind? About you? Why would you think…I mean, I know why you would think that, but I already told you what I wanted from this partnership…from this relationship, Bones. I want you."

"I just-I just thought maybe you were having regrets and wanting to find someone more like…more like Hanna-"

"Don't. Don't even say that name, Bones."

Booth stood up and pulled on her arm, bringing her to her feet as well. "Come on."

"Where?"

"With me."

Booth walked briskly back across the mall to the parking garage he had left his SUV parked in earlier. He held onto Brennan's hand, pulling her with him, forcing her to half job to keep up with his intent stride. He walked up to the SUV and opened the door for Brennan.

Booth jogged around the front of the car and got into the Driver's seat, sliding the key into the ignition and turning on the engine, but not making a move to put the car into drive.

"Booth?"

"I wanted to be sure no one could hear us…that no one was watching us. I want to be sure I have your undivided attention so there is no room for misunderstanding or confusion."

Brennan nodded, watching him.

Booth turned to Brennan, reaching out to touch her hair with one hand while the other grasped at her two hands clutched in her lap.

"I have no regrets about continuing my partnership with you. You are the best thing to happen to me professionally. Our partnership has helped me-clear my slate some, if you know what I mean. I couldn't solve the murders I am asked to without you and the Squint Squad to help me."

Booth leaned closer, his mouth brushing over Brennan's cheek. "And personally? You have been what I have wanted in my life for a long time now. There is no way I could want someone else…there is no way they could ever hope to take your place. Everyone else…was a substitute. You are the real deal for me. And if I need to wait longer for you to believe that, to believe in me, I will. But don't for a second think that I want to be anywhere else."

Brennan nodded, tears forming in her eyes as Booth slid his mouth over hers, warm and firm and sure. He pulled Brennan closer, struggling with the SUV seats. His tongue slipped into her mouth, Brennan's mouth opening and welcoming, then sliding against his in mutual greeting.

"God Bones! So much for keeping it professional!" Booth muttered against her lips. Brennan nodded, her own hands sliding into Booth's hair, pulling his head closer. They continued to kiss and moan against each other until finally Booth's elbow hit the steering wheel, setting off the car horn. The two jumped back, startled, breathing heavily.

"Bones-I'm sorry"

"Don't be. You are a very skilled kisser, Booth" Brennan smiled slightly.

"Bones, I'm serious. We need to be more careful. I need to be more careful. Jake is good at stalking his victims. He knows by now who I work with and who best to take out to affect my game. I already have Parker and Rebecca on 24 hour surveillance."

Brennan nodded. "Okay. I understand. I won't assume your behavior in public is indicative of your personal feelings."
Booth nodded. "We can still be together…still meet…I just need to be extra careful."

"Agreed. I will defer to your more extensive knowledge of Broadsky and him modis operandi. And the next victim he gives us, I will do everything in my ability to give you the information you need to take him down."

Booth grinned at Brennan as he shifted in his seat and put the car into drive. "I know you will, Bones. I know you will."